I’m an author with a distinct tastes in books. I’ve tried to read things like Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, Moby Dick, and Lord of the Flies. But I couldn’t. They didn’t catch my attention, they didn’t hold my attention, and I didn’t enjoy them. That’s not to say that they’re not great books, I just didn’t like them.

Okay, Aamir says, and I try to roll my eyes but my happiness betrays me. In an attempt to hide the effect of his friendship I tilt my smile to the sky. The stars are faded and broken, hidden above a veil of smog and dust blown in from one desert or the other.

Earlier today, I was lucky enough to celebrate the launch of A Berlin Story by Tiffani Burnett-Velez (who assisted me with the Russian dialogue in Paper Souls) by answering some of her questions about Paper Souls. I’ve also read the novella, which is beautifully written. You can read my five-star review of it on GU next week.